Iowans deserve higher ed, not merely higher debt

9:31 PM,
Mar. 9, 2014

Written by

Matt Sinovic
Guest Opinion

Student loan debt has reached a point of crisis. Ten years ago, America's student loan debt totalled $200 billion. Today, 40 million of us owe $1.2 trillion, which is more than we owe as a nation in credit card debt. And Iowa consistently ranks as one of the worst states in the nation, with 71 percent of our graduates in debt.

We're told over and over again that a college education is the key to economic success, but the debt that comes along with that education can be staggering. The average level of debt for a new graduate is just over $29,000, and studies show that for every dollar owed, $4 are lost ...